HC Deb 05 December 1974 vol 882 cc568-9W
Mr. Mike Thomas

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportions of the £1,000 million he estimates to be the current subsidies to the nationalised industries he attributes to each of the industries concerned; and on what basis he makes his calculation.

Mr. Joel Barnett

My right hon. Friend said in his Budget Statement that revenue support for the nationalised industries as a whole was running at over £1,000 million a year. This was on the basis of payments in respect of the current financial year of the following order:

£ million
Energy industries … … 400
Railways … … 350
Post Office … … 300

These figures are based on estimated deficits, which are still provisional.